Machine for packaging



1963 w. R. STELLING, JR 3,099,118

. MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed Sept. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V ENTOR.

.WaIier SieIlingJr.

BY M, m' attorneys July 30, 1963 w. R. STELLING, JR

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOER. I l 211i?! R.Sfelling, jl'.

BY v I: m, W 71 D'flfirnegs .N-WWWL Filed Sept. 9. 1960 July 30, 1963 w.R. STELLING, JR 3,

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING Filed Sept. 9. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

mm Olffrneys .Walter R. Stelling, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.,

United States Patent 3,099,118 MACHINE FOR PACKAGING assignor, by mesneassignments, to Applied Developments, Dallas, Tex., a corporation ofTexas Filed Sept. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 55,073

9 Claims. (Cl. 53-209) This invention relates to flexible packagingmachines for applying a heat scalable material to a continuously movingline of individual products.

According to the present invention, a machine of the above general typeis provided which utilizes novel vacuum means for tightly pulling theflexible material downwardly, and evenly without wrinkles, around allsides of the product.

A more specific aspect of the invention relates to novel means forevenly and tightly pulling the flexible wrapping material downwardlyalong two opposite sides of the continuously moving product, and thensmoothly folding the excess of the pulled material underneath theproduct with- Inc.,

out any wrinkling of the material. The arrangement is such that a lineof continuously moving individual products are tightly and smoothlywrapped in a rapid and eflicient manner.

These and other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter as thisdisclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a machine made in accordance with thepresent invention, certain parts being shown as broken away or removedfor clarity in the drawings;

FIGURE 2. is a side elevational view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1but on an enlarged scale, certain parts being shown in section, brokenaway or removed for clarity;

FIGURE .3 is a spread-out, plan view and showing the drive arrangementfor certain of the conveyors and suction belts in the upper path of themachine, certain parts being broken away or removed;

FIGURE 4 is a spread-out, plan view and showing the drive arrangementfor certain of the parts in the lower path of the machine, certain partsbeing broken away or removed, and

FIGURE 5 is a spread-out, plan view showing the parts and drivearrangement for the supply portion of the machine.

Referring in greater detail to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the machinegenerally includes a lower, horizontal portion 10 in which the productsto be wrapped travel first from left to right along an upper pathindicated by an arrow P, and then are reversed in their direction ofmovement and move to the left along a lower path, indicated by an arrowPL. The machine also includes an upper supply portion 12 from which theweb W of flexible and heat scalable wrapping material is fed from asupply roll S, is cut into wrappers M by a rotary knife K and thewrappers are then fed by and between a pair of upper endless members 14and pairs of lower endless members 15, trained over respective sheaves16 and 17 fixed on shafts 18 and 19 respectively, which are journaled inside walls 20 and 21.

In this description, reference will be made to certain rollers or otherrotary elements, which are clearly shown 3,099,118 Patented July 30,1963 ice in the views as being mounted on suitable shafts. These shaftsin turn are clearly shown as being mounted in suitable anti-frictionbearings located in the sides of the machines. Further specificreference to these rollers and bearings is not believed necessary. 7

A clutch and brake feed rollF in cooperation with a 'series of rubbercovered wheels 22 act when the product is being fed to pull the web fromthe roll S and feed it be- .are trained over sprockets 27a and drivensprockets 27b.

The timing of the delivery of the wrapper with the product to be wrappedis such that the material is centered on top of the product.

A presser roll 28, mounted on the free ends of arms 29 pivoted on shaft30, is raised slightly by the product as it passes thereunder, wherebythe weight of the roller acts to press the piece of flexible wrappingmaterial firmly against the top of the product and force any air frombetween the wrapper and product.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the pair of conveying chains 27 overlapadjacent their discharge end with the front end of a central suctionbelt 33. Thus, just before the product leaves the endless conveyingchains 27, it is deposited on the central, perforated suction belt 33trained over the driven roller 33a and a roller 33b. Side suction belts35 and 36, one along each side of the central belt 33 and paralleltherewith, move in same direction as belt 33 but at a slightly fasterrate. The top flights of these side belts are also positioned about A"lower than the top flight of the center belt to allow the tucker plates(to be described) to be in about the same horizontal plane as the topflight of the center belt.- Belts 35 and 36 at one end are trained overrollers 35b and 36b, respectively,

p and at their other end are driven by the rollers 35a and 36arespectively.

A vacuum box 39 is located under all three belts 33, 35 and 36 and has asuction conduit 39a extending therefrom and leading to a suction pump(not shown).

The central belt moves the product along and pulls the wrapper downtightly over the front and rear sides of the product thereby holding thewrapper tightly on the prodnet.

The side belts act to pull the wrapper tightly down over theirrespective sides of the product and, as these side belts are movingforwardly faster than the center belt and the product, they also act topull the side edges of the wrapper forwardly slightly in relation to theproduct. In other words, the side belts act to pull the side edges ofthe wrapper tautly in a forward direction. A certain,

to be described. The tucker plates, in performing their function ofplowing the side edges under the product, have a tendency to retard orpull the side edges rearwardly as the product continues to move along,and thus wrinkles would be created in the wrapper. By the use of morerapidly moving side belts, however, they overcome this retardation ordrag effect createdby the tucker plates in performing their function.

The tucker plates 40, 41 are disposed above the belts and in parallelismwith the top flights thereof. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, a plate islocated on each side of the center belt and the plates extend over theirrespective side belt. the center belt and along side one another a shortdistance apart. The leading edges 40a, 41a of the plates are formed as along taper, and these inclined leading edges converge inwardly towardthe center belt.

An endless and overhead conveyor 44, comprising a pair of endless chains45 and 46 connected together by pusher bars 47, also acts to move theproduct along its upper path P of travel. These pusher bars 47 travel atthesarne speed as the center belt.

The combined action of the tucker plates and belts is The innermostedges of the plates terminate over as follows. The front and rear sidesof the wrapper are pulled downwardly over the product by the centerbelt. As the product then begins to move over the plates, the side edgesengage the inclined leading edges of the plates and enter under theplates. These edges 40a and 41a act to tuck or plow the wrapper sideedges under the product as the latter continually moves along.

In this manner, the two sides of the wrapper are tightly foldedcompletely and smoothly under the product.

As the prod-not then reaches the discharge end of the tucker plates, andbegins to leave the belts, a small vacuum box 50 having a suctionconduit 50a, acts to pull the front edge of the wrapper downwardly intothe open top side of the box. As the product continues to be moved byconveyor 44 over the diverging, .rear ends of the plates, the front edgeis pulled smoothly underneath the moving product. i

The product, which has now been wrapped around its two sides and alsoits front side, is then pushed over a hot plate 53 having a series ofraised ribs 53a extending in the direction of product movement. Theseheated ribs act to heat-seal the flaps formed by the folded edges underthe product as the latter moves over the plate 53. Thereby, when thedirection of the product is later reversed, as will appear, the frontedge will not be pulled free.

At the end of its travel in the upper path of movement, the partiallywrapped product is pushed by conveyor rods 47 onto the free end of apivoted flapper plate 56. This plate is pivoted on shaft 57 and has acam follower 58 carried above and adjacent one end thereto. The plate isspring biased in the upper direction to the position shown in full linesin FIGURE 2 and is urged to the lower position shown in dotted lines, bythe rotatable cam 60. The cam consists of two parts 60a and 60b whichare adjustable relative to one another by a set screw 60c so that thelength of time, during which the cam acts on the follower 58 to lowerthe platform, can be adjusted. Various size products can thus beaccommodated.

The shaft 61 on which the cam is secured is rotated through the pair ofsprockets 62 which are driven by a pair of endless chains 63. Pusherrods 64 are connected between chains 63 and as the chains travel overthe sprockets 62, 65, 66, 67 and 68, the rods push the product off theplate and 'across the vacuum box 70 and onto a Teflon endless, conveyorbelt 71. Belt 71 and the pusher rods travel at the same speed andtogether act to move the product through the heating oven 73, as willmore fully appear. 1

The platform 56 swings the product downwardly into the lower path PLwhere the product moves in a direction reverse to its originaldirection. In doing so, the product is gently lowered without turning itor otherwise changing its orientation. Thus when the direction ofmovement of the product is changed, the product will have a new leadingside.

The timing of the plate movement in conjunction with v the movement ofconveyor rods 47 and only one. product is lowered at ,a time.

As the product moves over," the small vacuum box 70, the only remainingedge of the wrapper which has 64 is such that not been pushed under theproduct, is pulled downwardly by this suction. Stated otherwise, whatwas formerly the trailing side of the product is now the front orleading side and the new leading edge of the wrapper is pulled under theproduct as the latter is moved over the box 70.

As previously mentioned, conveyor rods 64 move the wrapped product ontoa heated Teflon belt and into the heat-shrink tunnel or oven 73. Theendless belt 71 is heated by passing over a hot plate 74. Thus as thewrapped product moves with the belt and over the hot plate, all of itsflaps on its underside are heated and firmly sealed.

As the wrapped product passes through the tunnel it is also heated so asto shrink the wrapping, drawing it tightly around the product. Thetunnel is heated by means of hot air blasting into opposite sides of theoven through conduits 75 and 76. cated on opposite sides of the oven andoppositely facing directions and act to direct the hot air blast on thepackage, thoroughly heating the wrapping and promoting uniform shrinkagethereof.

Upon leaving the heated tunnel the pusher bar 64 moves the finishedproduct over a series of parallel rollers 77, at the end of which theproduct is deposited on a pivot plate 80. This plate is pivoted on shaft81 and when the product has been deposited against the plate rflange 82,the plate then tips to turn the package upside down on a platform (notshown). In this manner the package is turned with its sealed flap sideup in order that a label may be applied thereover.

The main power source of the machine may be an electric motor (notshown) which is connected to the main power input shaft'85 (FIGURES 2.and 3). A 'gear 86 fixed on shaft is in constant mesh with gears 87 and88 fixed to shafts 89 and 90 respectively. The various drive elements toother component parts of the .machine are clearly illustrated and, asthey are conventional, no further description of them is believed to be.

necessary. S

ummary By means of the present invention a particularly compact wrappingmachine is-formed which has two paths of movement, one being inopposition to and located directly under the other. A particularly shortmachine is provided in respect to the direction of product movement.

The machine provided by the present invention insures a tightly wrappedproduct and one from which the air has been expelled. The wrapping isentirely sealed and is also heat-shrunk to provide good appearance.

The machine is capable of rapid speed of operation and can be easilyadjusted to accommodate various sizes of products to be packaged. I

Novel tucker plates have 'been provided which in conjunction with themore rapid moving .side belts act to smoothly fold the side edges of thewrapper under the product without any hesitation and without anywrinkling of the wrapper. All of the edges of the wrapper are uniformlypulled tightly along their respective sides and then pulled smoothlyunder the product, this all being done without any delay in the productmovement.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which isregarded as theinvention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

These conduits are 10- product, means for depositing a wrapper on thetop side of said moving product with edges of the wrapper protrudingbeyond all sides thereof, suction means for pulling opposite side edgesdownwardly around the product, and tucker means adjacent said conveyingmeans for tucking said opposite edges of said wrapper under said productas the latter moves along.

2. A machine for wrapping a moving product comprising, conveying meansfor moving the product, means for depositing a wrapper on the top sideof said moving product with edges of the wrapper protruding beyond allsides thereof, suction means for pulling said edges downwardly aroundthe product, tucker means adjacent said conveying means for tuckingopposite edges of said wrapper under said product as the latter movesalong, and other suction means beneath said conveying means for pullingthe edge of the wrapper at the forward side of the moving productdownwardly beneath said product whereby movement of the product willcause said edge to be pulled under the product.

3. A machine for wrapping a moving product comprising, a suction beltfor holding and moving the product along a path, means for depositing awrapper on the top side of said moving product with edges of the wrapperprotruding beyond all sides thereof, suction means for pulling oppositeside edges downwardly around the product as it moves along, tucker meansadjacent said belt for tucking said opposite edges of said wrapper undersaid product tas the latter moves along, and other suction means forpulling the edge of the wrapper at the forward side of the movingproduct downwardly beneath said prodduct whereby movement of the productwill cause said edge to be pulled under the product as the latter passesover said other suction means.

4. A wrapping machine -for wrapping a moving product comprising, acentral suction belt for conveying the product, means for depositing awrapper on the top side of said product with edges of the wrapperprotruding beyond the sides of the product as it moves along on saidbelt; a pair of side suction belts, one on each side of said centralbelt and moving along side thereof, and tucker plates positioned abovesaid belts, said side belts acting on said wrapper to pull theirrespective edges tightly downwardly over said product and carry themunder said plates whereby the latter act to tuck said edges under saidmoving product.

5. A wrapping machine for wrapping a moving product comprising; acentral, endless suction belt for conveying the product, means fordepositing a wrapper on the top side of said product as it moves alongon said belt; a pair of side suction belts, one on each side of saidcentral belt and moving along side thereof, said side belts adapted tomove at a higher rate of speed than said central belt, and tucker platespositioned above said belts, one extending from each side and arrangedgenerally parallel to said belts, said side belts acting on said wrapperto pull their respective edges tightly downwardly over said product andcarry them under said plates whereby the latter act to tuck said edgesunder said moving product.

6. A wrapping machine for wrapping a moving product comprising; acentral, endless suction belt for conveying the product, means fordepositing a wrapper on the top side of said product as it moves alongwith said belt; a pair of side suction belts, one on each side of saidcentral belt and moving along side thereof, said side belts adapted tomove at a higher rate of speed than said central belt; and tucker platespositioned above said belts and over which the product passes, saidplates extending from opposite sides of said belts and arrangedgenerally parallel to said belts, said tucker plates each having aninclined leading edge which converge toward one another in the directionof product movement; said side belts acting on said wrapper to pulltheir respective wrapper edges tightly downwardly over said product andcarry them under said plates as the product passes thereover, wherebythe plates act to tuck said edges under said moving product.

7. A wrapping machine for wrapping a moving product comprising; acentral, endless suction belt for conveying the product along a firstpath of movement, means for depositi gll a beat scalable wrapper on saidproduct to extend beyond the sides thereof as it moves along on saidbelt; a pair of suction side belts, one on each side of said centralbelt and moving along side thereof in the same direction as but at ahigher rate'of speed than said central belt; tucker plates positionedabove said belts and over which the product passes, said side beltsacting to pull their respective extending wrapper edges tightlydownwardly over said product and carry them under said plates wherebythe latter act to tuck said edges under said moving product, suctionmeans for pulling a portion of said wrapper downwardly over the leadingside of said product whereby said portion will be pulled beneath themoving product, means for sealing said portion under said I product,means for shifting said product from said first path to the second pathwithout appreciably changing the orientation of said product whereby thelatter has a new leading edge, conveyor means for moving said productalong a second path of movement which is in the reverse direction to andbeneath said first path, second suction means along said second path-for pulling another portion of said wrapper over said new leading edgewhereby continued product movement pulls said another portion under saidproduct, and a heats hrink tunnel along said second path and havingmeans sealing the bottom of said wrapper and shrinking said wrappertightly around the product.

8. A wrapping machine for wrapping a moving product comprising; acentral, endless suction belt for conveying the product along a firstpath of movement, means for depositing a heat sealable wrapper on thetop side of said product as it moves along on said belt; a pair ofsuction side belts, one on each side of said central belt and movingalong side thereof, said side belts adapted to move at a 'higher rate ofspeed than said central belt; tucker plates positioned above said beltsand over which the product passes, said plates extending from oppositesides of said belts and arranged generally parallel to said belts, saidtucker plates each having an inclined leading edge which converge towardone another in the direction of product movement; said side belts actingon said wrapper to pull their respective wrapper edges tightlydownwardly over said product and carry them under said plates wherebythe latter act to tuck said edges under said moving product, suctionmeans for pulling a portion of said wrapper downwardly over the leadingside of said product whereby said portion will be pulled beneath themoving product, means for sealing said portion under said product, meansfor shifting said product from said first path to a second path withoutappreciably changing the orientation of said product whereby the laterhas a new leading side, conveyor means for moving said product alongsaid second path g of movement which is in the reverse direction to andbeneath said first path, second suction means along said second path forpulling another portion of said wrapper over said new leading sidewhereby continued product movement pulls said anotherportion under saidproduct, and a beat-shrink tunnel along said second path and havingmeans sealing the bottom of said wrapper and shrink- .ing said wrappertightly around the product.

7 said product so that said product passes over said former pl'ate meansand thqedges of said wrapper are formed inwardly under the product.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED sTA Es PATENTS2,297,432 Rasch a a1. Sept. 29, 1942 2,737,002 Demler Mar. 6, 19562,854,799 Griese et a1 Oct. 7, 195s 2,855,735 Groth Oct. 14, 1958 8Hartwi'g Nov. 18, 1958 Dreyfius et a1. Sept. 22, 1959 Berst .L Dem-1,1959 Byland Mar. 1, 1960 Gentry 'Ap.r. 26, 1960 Wertheimer Mar. 21, 1961Kostur Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Mar. 29, 1960

1. A MACHINE FOR WRAPPING A MOVING PRODUCT COMPRISING, ENDLESS BELTCONVEYING MEANS FOR MOVING THE PRODUCT, MEANS FOR DEPOSITING A WRAPPERON THE TOP SIDE OF SAID MOVING PRODUCT WITH EDGES OF THE WRAPPERPROTRUDING BEYOND ALL SIDES THEREOF, SUCTION MEANS FOR PULLING OPPOSITESIDE EDGES DOWNWARDLY AROUND THE PRODUCT, AND TUCKER MEANS ADJACENT SAIDCONVEYING MEANS FOR TUCKING SAID OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID WRAPPER UNDERSAID PRODUCT AS THE LATTER MOVES ALONG.